Residential Construction and Remodeling
Residential construction focuses on building homes or spaces intended for people to live in. This can include apartment buildings, condos, and single family houses. It can also involve constructing garages and sheds.
A home remodel can increase the value of a property. It can also make the space more functional and attractive.
Wood-frame
Wood framing is a popular method for building most residential structures. It offers a wide range of benefits, including cost-effectiveness, sustainability, and greenhouse gas reduction. It also provides remarkable design flexibility. This construction method is preferred by framing contractors for its durability and reliability. However, it requires proper installation and construction practices to achieve the desired results.
Unlike masonry walls, wooden frames can be built in any shape. This allows for a variety of interior and exterior finishes, such as stone, brick, siding, and concrete. Additionally, the structure is less expensive to build than a comparable steel frame because it uses fewer materials and labor.
Another advantage of wooden framing is its energy efficiency. The insulating properties of wood help maintain comfortable indoor temperatures and residential construction and remodeling reduce heating and cooling costs. Furthermore, wooden frames can be designed with sheathing that is made of oriented strand board or pressure-treated plywood.
Moreover, wood-frame buildings are less likely to settle over time than structures with masonry walls. The reason is that wooden frames are lighter and can be installed on a concrete slab, which eliminates the need for a foundation. This method also reduces the need for heavy machinery and cranes. It also helps reduce the risk of damage to the foundation and structure during erection. However, a wood-frame building must be properly protected against termite and moisture problems.
Masonry
Masonry is one of the oldest construction techniques. Whether you are building a new home or renovating your existing one, there are many benefits to using masonry. It is energy-efficient and durable against natural disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes. It also provides insulation from heat sources such as radiators and space heaters. In addition, it helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Choosing the right masonry material for your project depends on cost, durability, aesthetics, and location. Brick, stone, and concrete block are some of the most common materials. They are available in various shapes and sizes to suit the look of your home. They can be adhered with different types of mortar, depending on the structural requirements.
Brick masonry is easier to work with than other masonry types. It is less expensive than stone and concrete blocks, and it can be used to create openings for doors and windows. Its uniform shape and size can help create a clean, symmetrical look that is popular with homeowners.
In addition to being durable, masonry walls are fire-resistant and provide insulation from high temperatures. They also block noise from neighbors’ homes and businesses. This makes them ideal for homeowners who want to keep their privacy. They are also useful for commercial buildings, where noise can be a problem for customers. Moreover, masonry is environmentally friendly and uses fewer resources than wood framing.
Steel
Steel is an excellent choice for residential construction because it is durable and can withstand various environmental factors. In addition, it is impervious to termites and rot, making it an ideal building material for residential projects. It is also resistant to earthquakes and extreme weather, providing a safe living space for occupants. Steel houses are also environmentally friendly, as they require less energy to construct and operate than other types of housing.
The use of steel in residential construction is growing, especially because it offers many advantages over traditional wood-framed structures. Steel construction is more cost-effective and faster to build, and it can be adapted to specific site conditions, including weather and seismic requirements. Furthermore, steel is less susceptible to fire damage and poses fewer risks to residents, firefighters, and emergency service workers.
Unlike wood, steel is inorganic and therefore does not rot or shrink. It also does not expand or contract with temperature changes, which can cause cracks and warping in other types of buildings. This makes it an excellent building material for homes in cold climates. Steel also requires little maintenance and lasts longer than most other materials.
Steel-framed buildings are typically used in urban areas, where they can be incorporated into existing streetscapes. The steel structure can also be concealed behind cladding, which is often brickwork or a tiled roof. In addition to these benefits, steel is less prone to corrosion than other materials.
Design-build
With design-build, homeowners work with one company that handles both the architectural/design and construction phases of a remodel. It eliminates the need to find and manage a designer/architect and contractor separately, which can often lead to miscommunication. This method also allows the project team to work together more effectively, which can save time and money.
A residential design-build firm will be able to take a homeowner’s hotel renovation contractors vision and turn it into reality, while making sure that the new space is functional and within budget. They can also help the homeowner select materials, which can reduce costs and improve the quality of the final product.
The design-build process is fast and efficient because it combines the design and construction phases into a single, integrated phase. This speeds up the design and construction process, and gives a single person accountability for meeting contract requirements. It can also spot inconsistencies between prescriptive requirements and performance standards, and inform the client about those issues.
In a traditional design-bid-build remodel, the architect will provide the initial designs, which the general contractor will then use to get an estimate for the cost of construction. If the cost of construction is higher than expected, the owner will have to negotiate with contractors or ask for a redesign. In a design-build remodeling project, the architect and builder will be working in tandem from the beginning of the project, so any changes that the architect makes to the initial designs are checked by the contractor in real-time and there are fewer errors.
